We have just had Easter and the celebration of life. It is always such a wonderful reminder of the gift and sacrifice of Jesus. Easter is also the time when the weather finally changes and the bright spring flowers break through the dull winter landscape announcing LIFE! If you are able to watch the May Fresh Bread this month (available from Sunday 3 May) you will be able to watch an interview with Johannes as he shares about the Moldova and Ukraine projects and his heart for Jesus. This is another powerful declaration of life!
This year as I read the Easter story in Matthew 28 I was struck by a new thought. Let’s read the scripture in Matthew first: “The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.” Matthew 28:5-6 NIV
Here the angel encourages the women to come and see the place where the miracle happened. Check it out. See. Look, a miracle has taken place! I believe more and more we are moving into a time when we need to remind people of their prayers and conversations so that they can see and recognise the places where miracles have taken place. I wonder if you have taken time to consider, or return to, those places where a miracle happened in your life. Jesus is alive and, as we walk with Him, we have encounters. Suddenly ordinary places become spaces where miracles happen – life breaks through!
April was busy with both ministry and administration. Finalising all the arrangements for the month of ministry in the USA and Canada took time and careful thought but I think we are now ready to go, preach and travel. They will be busy days. We also needed to plan our time in Moldova and the Roundhouse days in June. When the preaching schedule is heavy, having someone thinking ahead is such a blessing. So I have missed Helen’s help! Even while juggling all the forward planning I was also ministering. During the first weekend in April I went to Porsgrunn, Norway, and had a wonderful time with the women from the Telemark “Kvinner I Nettverk” and then the men who filtered into the conference. More and more came until there were a significant number by the Saturday evening. I was asked to speak on the theme “Reflect Him”. The worship team were a powerful asset and we had special times in the presence of God together. We prayed for many situations and now testimonies about the answers to prayer are beginning to filter through the churches: one woman testifying to a radical change in her home atmosphere and situation. We have also been connecting with church leaders from Oxford, Coventry, Watford, and even Canada plus holding our Heartcry Trustees meeting. Gordon has ministered in London and has helped me compile the accounts for the end of the tax year. In the midst of all the tasks we have made time for family too. We hosted an Easter lunch with David, Jenny and his family and then had a Saturday birthday celebration for Gordon, our daughter Nicola, and my brother David. (although he was unable to come!) But our main ministry this month was a mission’s trip to Moldova.
So Gordon and I would also love to update you on our Moldova time. Last year, as I planned this year’s schedule, I specifically prayed about where we should be for Easter – where did God want us to be preaching the GOOD NEWS of Easter in 2025? I really felt He wanted us to be in Moldova and with the people of Ukraine too. So Gordon and I planned to be away from family over Easter in the Moldovan region. We left on Wednesday 16th April and returned Tuesday 22nd April. Thank you for praying for us as we travelled. However, we had one complication: the weekend before we travelled we learnt that Charlotte and Johannes’s son, Simon, had been rushed into ICU. This is the news we received:
Dear Rachel & Gordon.
Looking forward to your visit.. – time is running really fast..! We just returned from Denmark, but on the way, we got the news that our oldest son, Simon, had been admitted to hospital – intensive care! He had gallstones and an inflamed pancreas, couldn’t breathe properly + some other problems. After prayer he is out of intensive care today but has to remain in the hospital min. 2 weeks still, so Charlotte is leaving Monday to Denmark to help the family – they have 3 children. I will meet you at the airport and I will take good care of you!
Be blessed! See you on Wednesday. Johs
We of course kept in touch with Charlotte while in Moldova and quickly heard that Simon was again stable, being prepared for possible surgery, and still very weak. We offered to cancel our trip but Johannes encouraged us to come so we went. However, without Charlotte I had lost my translator so that could be challenging. We arrived and walked into our accommodation which this time was in Riscani – back in the first girls’ house that we had helped to build. The field was just a piece of undeveloped land back then but now provides a home to many. Again another full circle. Also on our arrival we received a phone call confirming that a replacement translator for Charlotte had been found and so we could teach!! Dina has been a gift: a powerful Russian speaker and translator. Every time I speak I feel her preach with such authority with me. Moldova has been a wonderful time of talking, sharing, and sensing the hunger for Jesus. As always there are the stories of life and rescue. Johannes has driven thousands of miles in Ukraine helping the churches and people in Kherson and Kharkiv, in the east near the frontlines. On Good Friday I spoke from Isaiah 53 and how Jesus took our shame and pain as well as our sin. There was a time of deep prayer and ministry afterwards as we broke the shame and pain of so many lives here in Moldova. The joy and freedom on lives was evident as we prayed. On Easter Sunday it was wonderful to preach about Jesus in this nation. As I invited people to respond and give their lives to Jesus, many children and youth immediately raised their hands; the next generation are hungry for Jesus!
In May Gordon and I travel to the USA and Canada for the month. Unfortunately Helen will not be with us as she is still recovering from her ankle surgery that took place in February. It is a long process, poor thing. She was signed off work until the 30th April. But now in May she will begin working part-time, on a graduated return to work, and take some time for her sabbatical until September. She is finally learning to walk again and allowed to drive for just a few little 5 minute trips. She moved back to her own home on Friday 11th April after living with Gordon and me for 10 weeks. Thank you for continuing to pray for her full recovery, healing and freedom from pain.
Our USA / Canada trip is outlined below for you prayer:
Ministry Dates May 2025
2-4 May Living Hope Community Church 40th anniversary weekend, Estevan, SK, Canada
4 May Fresh Bread message – special interview with Johannes Petersen, Moldova (Heartcry social platforms)
6-11 May Everett, WA, USA
7 May Wednesday Warriors Prayer Group, Bothell, WA, USA
7 May Youth evening, Seattle area
11 May Sonrise Christian Center, Everett, USA (Rachel preaching)
12-15 May Meetings in Walla Walla, WA, USA
13 May Attend MFI Conference, Walla Walla, WA, USA
16-17 May Prophetic Encounter Conference, Neuma Church, Spokane, WA, USA
18 May Victory Faith, Spokane Valley, WA, USA – 3 services (Rachel preaching)
23-24 May New Life Church, Creston, BC, Canada
24-25 May Connect Church, Cranbrook, BC, Canada
We also want to give you advance notice of a Kingdom Business conference in September being held at Rediscover Church in Exeter, UK. Do check out the details here and share with those who might be interested.
Please pray that Gordon and I will have stamina for all the travel in May and that Jesus will empower us to minister in each location. We are expectant!
Our love and deepest gratitude,
Rachel & Gordon and Helen too!